Tank cleaning apparatus



Aug. 30, 1966 J. c. MARANTETTE ETAL 3,

TANK CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4;, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSJAMES C. MARANTETTE HARRIE E. BENNETT,JR.

x igflgmw 1L0 BY v M M ATTORNEY 1966 J. c. MARANTETTE ETAL 3,268,933

TANK CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1965 JAMES CMARANTETTE HARRIE E. BENNETT,JR.

" ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,268,933 TANK CLEANING APPARATUS JamesC. Marantette, Garden Grove, and Harrie E. Bennett, Jr., Long Beach,(Ialih, assignors to Richlield Gil Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 4, W65, Ser. No. 423,055 8 (Ilaims.(Cl. Il.7)

only from the area of the tank immediately below the filler pipe whichextends to ground level, however, there are now available devices forcleaning other areas of the tank bottom. However, these prior artdevices have disadvantages which are overcome by the present invention.For example, one type of known apparatus incorporates a weighted probehead which is connected to the end of a flexible hose. In order toprovide for manipulation of the probe head across the bottom of thetank, a chain is inserted in the hose and fixed thereto at the probeend. Other prior art devices utilize an external steel strap or aplurality of hinged smaller straps or links secured to the outside ofthe hose. However, all of these prior art attempts to provide theflexible hose with means which permits manipulation thereof across thebottom of the tank detract from the reelability of the hose. As apractical manner, it is very desirable to be able to wind the flexiblehose on a reel during a cleaning operation.

Consequently, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a tankcleaning apparatus wherein the flexible hose connected to the probe headis provided with means which permits the probe head and hose to bedirected along the bottom of the tank and also permits the hose easilyto be wound upon areel.

Another disadvantage of the prior art tank cleaning devices is therestriction on the size of the probe head which scavenges the bottom ofthe tank. In the past, the probe head has been limited in size by thediameter of the filler pipe which connects the tank to the surface ofthe ground. Since such a small probe head can clean only a very smallarea at one time, the tank cleaning operation was extremely timeconsuming and, furthermore, it was very possible to miss certain areasof the tank bottom.

Therefore, another object of this invention is to provide a tankcleaning probe head which may be inserted through the relativelyrestricted filler pipes of underground tanks but which will scavenge amuch larger area of the tank bottom for each discrete position of theprobe head.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following written description and accompanying drawings whichdisclose in detail a preferred embodiment of this invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a complete tank cleaningapparatus embodying this invention and particularly illustrates thereelability of the flexible hose;

FIGURE 2 shows the manner in which this apparatus is utilized toscavenge or clean the bottom of an underground gasoline tank;

FIGURE 3 is a combined plan view and sectional view Patented August 30,1966 of the probe head and adjacent flexible hose construction;

FIGURE 4 is partially cutaway side view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the probe head.

FIGURE 1 shows the complete tank cleaning apparatus as actually used inpractice. The apparatus comprises a flexible hose 1%, a probe head 12and a pair of flexible plastic tubes 14, 16 connected by a Y connector18 to probe head 12. These flexible tubes have a plurality of openings26 for removing Water and sediment from the bottom of an undergroundgasoline tank. The ends of these tubes are closed by any suitable meanssuch as plugs 22 and 24. As will be shown later, the underside of probehead 12 also has openings therein for withdrawing water and sedimentfrom the bottom of the tank.

The hose is shown wound upon a reel generally designated by thereference numeral 26. The water and sediment withdrawn from the tankpasses through hose 1t)- and is drawn by a pump 2% through a pipe 30 anddischarged through a clear plastic hose 32 which is purposely madetransparent so that the operator of the cleaning apparatus can observethe nature of the material being withdrawn from the bottom of the tank.

Also shown in FIGURE 1 is a guide pipe 34 whose top end 36 projectsabove the ground level and whose bottom end 38 extends to the bottom ofthe tank. An opening 40 in pipe 34 near its bottom end provides an exitfor the hose and probe assembly near the bottom of the tank. The extremelower end of pipe 34- below opening 40 is blocked to provide an inclinedsurface 42 which directs the hose and probe head assembly along the tankbottom in the desired direction.

The diameter of probe head 12 must be smaller than the internal diameterof guide pipe 34. However, flexible tubes I4 and 16 may be drawntogether when the apparatus is inserted in the guide pipe. When. tubes14 and 16 exit from the opening 40 into the bottom of the tank they areonce again free to spread open to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1to cover a very large area of the tank bottom.

FIGURE 2 shows an underground cylindrical tank 44 having a filler pipe46 which extends to the ground surface 48. To clean the bottom of tank44, one first passes guide pipe 34- through filler pipe 46 into the tankin such a manner that the opening points in the direction that theoperator desires the probe head to travel. Hose 10 carrying the probehead assembly is then unreeled from reel 26 and inserted into pipe 34.As previously mentioned, during this stage of the operation, theflexible tubes l4, 16 are drawn together so that they easily fit withinpipe 34. The probe head assembly and hose 10 exit from the opening 40 inthe bottom of pipe 34. As the hose is unwound from reel 26, probe head12 is pushed along the bottom of the tank and tubes 14, 16, now spreadapart, travel across the bottom of the tank removing water and sedimentby means of the suction applied by pump 28. As will be discussed later,hose 10 is designed so that it will bend in only one direction to assurethat probe head 12 and flexible tubes 14, 16 lie flat on the bottom andtravel in a predetermined direction. Since tank 44 is cylindrical, it isnot generally necessary to sweep the probe angularly with respect toguide pipe 34 in order to remove all the water and sediment. However, ifa fiatbottomed tank, for example, is being cleaned, pipe 34 may berotated in order to change the position of opening 40 with respect tofiller pipe 46, thereby directing the probe head over all areas of thetank bottom.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show in greater detail the structure of hose it), probehead 12 and flexible tubes I4 and 16. In order to render hose 10bendable in only one direction when it is inserted into underground tank44, a spring steel strap 50 is placed in the hose and extends the lengththereof. Strap 50 is rigidly fixed to probe head 12 by means of afitting 52 which extends into the lower end of hose and also into a bore54 extending centrally through the length of probe head 12. Steel strapStl is inserted in a slot in fitting 52 and welded thereto at points 56.Hose 10 is secured to fitting 52 by means of a hose clamp 58 and thefitting is fixed to probe head 12 by means of a set screw 60.

As shown in FIGURE 4, steel strap 59 permits hose 10 to bend only in onedirection as it exits from opening 40 in guide pipe 34 and directs thehose along the bottom of the tank. For best results, it has been foundthat the width of strap 50 should be equal to, or slightly greater than,the inside diameter of hose 10. If the width of strap 50 is less thanthe internal diameter of hose 10, the hose will twist and deviate fromthe preferred straight course as the hose is lowered into the tank andguided along the bottom of the tank. On the other hand, if strap 50 issubstantially wider than the inside diameter of hose 11), the hose willcollapse when pump 28 applies suction thereto.

FIGURE 4 also shows an enlarged view of the bottom end 38 of the guidepipe 34. Opening 40 has an inclined lower surface 42 provided by ablocking member 59 to permit the hose and probe assembly easily to exitfrom the opening.

Also as shown in FIGURE 4, probe head 12 has an inclined front surface62 which permits the head to slide over obstacles which may beencountered on the bottom of tank 44. A slot 64 is formed in the centerof the bottom of probe head 12 and is connected to a bore 54 via threecommunicating countersunk passages 66. Consequently, when suction isapplied to hose 10, water and sediment are drawn through slot 64 andpassages 66 into bore 54 and then up hose 10. Another bore 68 is formedthrough the inclined surface 62 and joins bore 54. A Y connector 18 isinserted in bore 68, thereby permitting the two arms of the connector toextend forwardly from probe body 12. Flexible tubes 14 and 16 are fittedover the arms of connector 18 and secured by suitable hose clamps 72 and74.

The desirablity of this apparatus for cleaning cylindrical undergroundtanks is quite obvious. The relatively heavy probe head 12 hugs thebottom of the tank. Water and sediment are sucked up through slot 64 andalso through apertures in the flexible tubes 14, 16 connected to thefront end of probe 12. Since these tubes are flexible and connected to Yconnector 18, they spread out along the bottom of the tank and cover avery large area, thereby removing water and sediment in a much moreefficient and complete manner than can be accomplished by prior artdevices.

In practice, the probe head 12 is constructed of stainless steel and isapproximately five inches long, /2 inch thick and /8 inch wide. Thebottom is slightly rounded to conform with the inside of guide pipe 34.The front surface 62 is sloped at a 45 angle. Bore 54 is 3/ inch indiameter and extends from the hose end of the probe 12 to within oneinch of the surface 62. Bore 68 has a diameter of approximately A inch.Slot 64 is approximately three inches long, A inch wide and inch deep.Communicating passages 66 are /a inch in diameter. The flexible hoses14, 16 are approximately eighteen inches long.

FIGURE 5 shows another embodiment of the probe head assembly for usewith hose 10. In this case, the probe body 80 is cylindrical and carriesexternal threads 82 upon which is threaded an external sleeve 84. A slot86 is formed in the bottom of probe body 12 to permit water to be drawntherethrough when suction is applied to hose 10. The total suctionapplied to the bottom of the tank via opening 76 may be controlled byadjusting the position of sleeve 34 along the length of the probe body80.

Another feature of this embodiment is the provision of a flared plate 88fixed to probe body 12 near hose 10. This flared plate prevents theprobe from catching on guide pipe 34 as the hose and probe assembly arewith drawn from the tank after a cleaning operation.

A preferred embodiment and another embodiment of this invention havebeen described and illustrated in detail with reference to a gasolinetank. However, it is recognized that modifications of these embodimentswill be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains and that the present invention can be used for cleaning tanksused for storing liquids other than gasoline. Consequently, suchmodifications are considered to be within the scope of the inventionwhich is intended to be limited only as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for removing extraneous liquid and sediment from thebottom of a liquid-filled tank comprising a length of flexible hosehaving one end adapted to be connected to a source of suction, anelongated spring metal strap in said hose to permit the hose to bend inonly one direction, a probe head on the other end. of said flexible hoseand fixed to an end of said strap, said probe head having a fluidpassage therein in fluid communication with said other end of saidflexible hose, and elongated flexible tubular means connected. to saidhead for fluid flow communication with said hose and having an openingtherein for drawing said extraneous water and sediment therethrough.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible tubular meanscomprises a pair of elongated flexible tubes, each having its free endclosed and a plurality of openings along its length, said tubes beingadapted to diverge at their free ends when the probe head is moved alongthe bottom of said tank.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the width of the steelstrap is equal to or slightly greater than the inside diameter of saidhose.

4. A probe head for use on the end of a flexible hose connected to asource of suction for removing extraneous water and sediment from aliquid-filled tank comprising a probe body having a bottom and front andrear ends, a first opening in said rear end for connecting said probebody in fluid flow communication with a flexible hose, a countersunksecond opening in said bottom in flow communication with said firstopening, a third opening in said front end in flow communication withsaid first opening, and flexible tubular means on said body in fluidflow communication with said third opening, said tubular means having anopening therein.

5. A probe head for use on the end of a flexible hose connected to asource of suction for removing extraneous water and sediment from aliquid-filled tank comprising a probe body having a bottom and front andrear ends, a first opening in said rear end for connecting said probebody in fluid flow communication with a flexible hose, means in saidbottom for removing said extraneous water and sediment from the bottomof said tank, said bottom means being in flow communication with saidfirst opening, a second opening in said front end in flow communicationwith said first opening, and means for adjusting the size of said bottommeans.

6. A probe head as defined in claim 5 wherein said probe body iselongated and said bottom opening is shorter than the length of saidbody, said adjusting means comprising a sleeve mounted on said probebody for movement along the length thereof.

7. A probe head for the end of a flexible hose connected to a source ofsuction and used to remove exprising in combination:

a probe body having a passage therein for fluid flow communication withsaid flexible hose, said probe body having a countersunk opening in thebottom thereof in fluid flow communication with said passage, and

a pair of flexible tubes mounted on the end of said body in fluid flowcommunication with said passage, each of said tubes having aperturemeans therein for permitting removal of extraneous liquid and sedimenttherethrough.

8. A probe head for the end of a flexible hose connected to a source ofsuction and used to remove extraneous liquid and sediment from a liquidfilled tank into and out of which said hose is guided through an openingin a guide pipe, comprising in combination:

a probe body having a passage therein for fluid flow communication withsaid flexible hose, and

flexible tubular means mounted on said body in fluid flow communicationwith said passage, said tubular means having an opening therein forpermitting removal of said extraneous liquid and sediment therethrough,said probe body being elongated and having a flared guide plate thereonfor guiding said probe head back into said guide pipe opening when saidfleixble hose and probe head are withdrawn from the tank through saidguide pipe opening.

UNITED References Cited by the Examiner STATES PATENTS CHARLES A.WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING EXTRANEOUS LIQUID AND SEDIMENT FROM THEBOTTOM OF A LIQUID-FILLED TANK COMPRISING A LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE HOSEHAVING ONE END ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF SECTION, ANELONGATED SPRING METAL STRIP IN SAID HOSE TO PERMIT THE HOSE TO BEND INONLY ONE DIRECTION, A PROBE HEAD ON THE OTHER END OF SAID FLEXIBLE HOSEAND FIXED TO AN END OF SAID STRAP, SAID PROBE HEAD HAVING A FLUIDPASSAGE THEREIN IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OTHER END OF SAIDFLEXIBLE HOSE, AND ELONGATED FLEXIBLE TUBULAR MEANS CONNECTED TO SAIDHEAD FOR FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID HOSE AND HAVING AN OPENINGTHEREIN FOR DRAWING SAID EXTRANEOUS WATER AND SEDIMENT THERETHROUGH.